The Asylum
by Flamekaat
Summary: An AVP fan fiction. Luna has been in the asylum for years. The Star clan has come to hunt the hard meats and cleanse the Asylum of them, and she has to help or her friends in the lower levels of the Asylum could all die! HumanYautja friendships & romance
1. Chapter 1

Luna was about 12 years old when her parents died. Before that time she had been diagnosed with a mild manic/depressive problem. The death of her parents very severely unhinged her mind. She went into a deep depression for about six months, then swung completely the other way into a shocking happiness that also sometimes effected her ability to make wise, or safe choices. For this reason her father's brother James took Luna under his care.

James was extremely well suited to care for the deranged pre-teen. His daily work was as the chief Doctor of Psychiatry at the asylum out on Delmar hill. Asylum treatment had improved vastly over the years and now it was rather resort like, though most of the residents still had to be placed in one of the several hundred "safe rooms," overnight to prevent them from doing harm to themselves.

Luna sighed as they fastened the straps in her straight jacket and tugged them tight enough to be secure without being uncomfortable. Lucious and Fredrick we're the best duty nurses for straight jacket adjustment duty. They never hurt you or even pulled to hard. Normally they worked down on the lower levels. They were both outrageously strong but very considerate because of this. Today was a very special day though and Lucious and Fredrick got to visit them for lights-out checks instead.

They were on relief duty today so some of the specialists could go down into the lower levels of the asylum to handle the scary ones. The scary ones were the violent people among the asylum's residents. Some were unable to help their violent impulses as much as they would like to be good, and others would never understand that it was not "good" to hurt other people for no reason but cause you wanted to.

"When you are done with everyone will you put my birthday card in my stuff box please Frederick? It was my sixteenth birthday today, and Doctor Uncle Sir James gave me a nice card with glitter and butterflies."

"Sure thing little bird. Now into your nest."

Luna was indeed a nester when it came to sleeping arrangements with her bedding. The much desired cushions that most were given few of she had earned through continual good behavior. She piled them into a nest, and though she missed blankets when making the nest, it was soft and plush. The pillows themselves could not be hurt by anything short of a really bad fire or being punctured by reinforced steel. The fibers were too durable. They had been a gift from the gift exchanges during the Big alliance back before Luna's folks were born.

Luna remembered her folks during her birthday time of year most of all. She remembered how her mother was always so sensible when she bought presents, and how father never bought her anything that took away from it's fun by also being useful. She curled up in her nest feeling completely hollow. When she was supposed to be sad the medications made her feel empty of any emotion at all.

The "safe rooms' were always about 80 degrees inside so that a person would be more comfortable sleeping without blankets or much coverings at all. Despite being the same durable fiber weave as the cushions the straight jackets and standard issue clothing for residents were of a light weight and didn't do much to keep the environment out. So when Luna woke to feel the chill of a close to 45 degree room she knew something was wrong.

"Lucious? Why is it so cold?"

"Fredrick went to find out little bird. Be a quiet bird and wait like the rest of us."

"Yes Nurse Lucious."

Luna sat on her safe room's floor and waited. Then she rearranged her cushions to actually form a blanket mostly and tried to sleep some more. The hour of day read clearly on the readout over the door. 3 am was no time to be up and she certainly didn't want to be running about when she could be sleeping away that sensation of emptiness that was still lingering around the edges of her banged up mind. She drifted off only to have her chilly nose wake her again. Then she heard people talking about important stuff outside her door.

"You are sure Sir? I know you two are related an all but would it really be a good idea to expose her to these allies of ours? The nightmare downstairs will be bad enough. Rumor suppression doesn't work around here and well you know it. When the downstairs lot aren't bound up and brought up for breakfast then everyone will know something is terrible wrong. Those lot coming in here will ruin the treatment of dozens of the folks in here who are just starting to make progress!"

"Everyone else will be secured in their rooms. The climate control should turn back over any second now and…"

Luna felt the blessed flow of heated air return and smiled at the happiness that she could also feel because of it. The medicines were running low. The ones that kept her focus sharper and aided her in making better and safer decisions were the only ones that stayed the same all the time. The rest had to be used sparingly or they could damage her instead of help her. Now though she could feel her feelings more or less unobstructed, and she liked that. Being hollowed out inside dulled her edge, and Luna certainly felt like she would need that edge for whatever was causing trouble down below.

It was 6 am when she woke again. Her pills slid through a slot in the door and she nodded at Lucious before swallowing them all without a single thought. She had lived for four years with her twice daily doses of pills. Something would be very wrong indeed if she didn't receive them. An odd one out had been the small emerald green pill that had been added to the white and sky blue ones. She asked Lucious about it but he just shrugged in his " Gods only know" way.

She was let out and led to the showers. Clean again and in a sturdy new outfit that felt heavier then usual she followed Nurse Lucious to her Uncle's office. Doctor Uncle Sir James was sitting with his head in his hands. His whole self vibrated with frustration. Luna sat in the chair in front of the desk like she usually did while she was questioned about her state of mind. It was about time for another questioning.

It was not another questioning she received. Instead her Uncle looked very sad, like he had when her parents had died and he had been forced to tell her.

"Who died!?!"

The look on his face was a look of disappointment. She knew it was bad manners to blurt things like that out loud. Doctor Uncle Sir James always expected her to have perfect manners, insanity of any sort not withstanding. The look of disappointment faded and he sighed.

"Honestly Luna we don't know but we suspect that most of the lower level residents are dead or dying at this point."

No wonder he had been so concerned about telling her. Among the hard cases of the asylum, all of whom were housed down there in the lower levels, except for being brought up for meal times, were the two people the closest to being friends to her. Jayden was simply a sociopath. He felt that he was superior, though his emotional nature was suppressed, and thus the rules didn't apply to him.

Raw was something else all together. He had been found as a boy of about 7 living in the wild lower streets of the city state. He lived off of rodents and other small animals, and he ate them raw. He had learned to speak again by the time he was nine, only to confirm what the social workers already guessed. His folks were gone, they had left him though instead of dying like Luna's folks.

He was put in the asylum when he turned 11. He refused to eat anything but vegetable matter and uncooked meat. They also found that he would not answer to anything but the Nickname he had received from the other orphanage kids. So Raw he was and that was all. He wasn't so much insane as untenable. He took no orders and obeyed no masters. Even in modern society that was not allowed, as Luna well knew.

"Why hasn't anybody gone down to help them?"

"Unfortunately Luna we are not equipped to face the alien creatures that have infested the lower levels. The best we could do was get the environmental system back up and seal the lower levels off to stop the spread of the creatures. That is why we have invited our allied members of the Star clan to help us. These Yaut'ja will help us to clean out the lower levels and save any survivors."

Luna turned to the wall that Doctor Uncle Sir James had gestured at. She unfocused her eyes rather then trying to squint at the rippling masses of bending light. The appearance of five tall bulky humanoid shapes could be seen in the sort of not vision she had been gifted with when she reached puberty.

"If you're trying to hide you are doing a damned poor job of it folks."

The five who appeared were all of the same allied species. One growled at her only to receive a cuff to the head by the tallest if the five.

"Revered Elder, this is my brothers daughter Luna. Her special talents can help you to locate and retrieve our missing residents much faster the you would be able to on your own…"

Suddenly Luna found her view filled by the bulk of the tallest visitor of the Star clan. He looked her over, and she could hear a sound like machinery ever so faintly. He was using different vision modes to analyze her. Despite it being against treaty law for Yaut'ja to kill humans outside of criminal hunts and self defense, Luna knew better then to show fear or offer any disrespect to this one. Both were things that would insure she died "by accident" someplace down in the lower levels. She wanted to live very much. Before she hadn't thought much about dying or living. Now she felt like a lot more opportunities for living a real life were out there beyond this mission with the Star clan's Elder and his clan members.

The elder the humans called Zen was startled by the bone density and muscular fiber in the small human female. She would be strong enough to toss full grown drones by the tail and fast enough to run away and escape should she be overwhelmed. The suggestion that a human from this facility go with them did not seem quite as ludicrous as it first had appeared to be.

Iron and Thorns were respectful of his decision. Dark and Thunder appeared to have no feelings or opinions on the matter of the small human's inclusion. That left Hammer, the one who had roared a threat at the human. Hammer was normally not a discipline problem. His father and uncles had been vigorous anti alliance though, and it seemed that his bigotry had come to him honestly from their twisted teachings. The star clan taught that all prey, even the now off limits humans, were to be respected. They were to be given credit for their skills, and not judged as a species entirely but as individuals. So his Father had taught him. Now it was time these pups all learned the same lesson..

"Luna will be watched out for by Hammer. He will be her guardian."

Hammer begged in their language not to be given this task. Zen rolled an eye heavenwards and asked the black god to ignore this pup for a few more days.

"You'll do it, and if your half as intelligent as your Dam you'll discard your sire's teachings and learn something from the ooman in the process! Regardless of what else you do your honor now depends on her coming out of this hunt alive!"

Even the bigots towed the line when the subject of their personal honor was invoked. As Zen expected, Hammer grumbled a bit, but nothing that was definite or against Zen him self. Hammer knew he would not live long if he challenged Zen. This sobering thought made him fall in line behind the human, and Zen watched with amusement as she escorted them to the personnel lifts down the hall.

Their weight was accepted after the ooman punched several buttons. She also showed them the sequence which could be activated in any lift and allow it to carry three times it's normal weight class up and down. They would have to use the sequence if they wished to use any other lift then the one they were about to ride in. The doors closed and Zen watched the human for rising levels of anxiety induced panic responses. She wasn't a fool, but her signs of anxiety showed as minimal. She had the same readings as the females among the Marines in the Xenomorph Emergency Squadrons. She was simply unafraid of what they would face.

"I suspect it is the drugs."

Thunder was normally quiet. He did not offer any of his thoughts without some kind of coaxing from the other members of the hunt he participated in. Even when spoken to by an Elder he usually was so brief that he almost could be taken as rude.

"Drugs of what kind?"

"All humans with mental illnesses that require them to be institutionalized are subjected to a course of sedatives and other mood altering drugs to keep them calm and pliable to the wills of their caregivers. She is better then the ones we are trying to rescue but she is still subject to this rule."

Thunder was correct. He got close to the human and scented her. She was heavily dosed. So much so that he asked her to tell him what drugs they had her on, and what their effects on her performance would likely be.

"A strong sedative. It wears off in about three hours though, and I think we shall still be very busy at that time. A mood altering thing that causes me to feel no emotions but makes me feel empty inside all the time instead, and a nutrient pill that I always receive because sometimes during the year our food supplies are substandard compared to my metabolism's needs.. They also gave me an emerald green pill this morning that I have no idea the effects of. Speak to Doctor Uncle Sir James on the comm, and see.."

The elevator kept going down, and the news he received was poor. The mystery drug was what was referred to by the ooman scientists as a soldier pill. For the next twelve hours her senses her strength, her speed and her agility would all be running about 35 above her normal peak performance levels. After the twelve ooman hours had passed she would need to retreat because the drug would have depleted all her energy resources to meet the demands of her amplified systems. She would sleep for days and be in pain thereafter for a week of ooman time.

"Ooman. They fed you a soldier pill. Set your chronometer for 5:50 hours in your peoples time system. When it alerts you retreat to the nearest lift and run back to your safe room. That is a non negotiable command. I don't want you down here near comatose and in blinding amounts of pain. You will become more of a liability then an asset at that time, and we will not carry an unconscious body that we shouldn't have, when we could be carrying one of your injured co-residents."

Zen seemed pleased when she nodded and replied, "Yes Revered Elder Hunt Leader Commander Zen."

Then the lift made its "level reached" ping and the doors swung open… onto chaos.


	2. Chapter 2

{A/N:Chapter 2 for all the kind folks who reviewed this fic baby. I was going to do a version with a already saner Luna but I figured that even though the presence of the Predators was beneficial to her mental state I was going to make it take a bit longer then that.

Luna hunted with the revered elder and her other companions. All the time she could feel her body twisting and opening in a way she could only call a forced Blossoming. Heat was the first 'feeling' to return to her. What others called desire she simply refered to as heat. She had the fiercest desire to find Jayden and Raw. She followed her gut. Thinking was wrong in this situation or at least it was for her. It was her thought processes that were wrong or broken so badly that she needed the medicines. So she followed her gut just like Raw had told her she should. It led her unerringly to a small vent shaft on the hard case level in block A.

Cheerfully Raw's voice greeted her from inside the vent. She had found him. His face was scratched and one thigh had been gouged like something had attacked him and tried to puncture it. The angle of the attack or the way Raw yanked his leg back trying to get it out of the way had made it a gouge instead of a straight forward puncture. The ragged gash was not bleeding anymore though and the remains of an emergency kit sat in the vent with Raw. He had tended to his own wounds in a very skilled manner. He might need surgery if any nerves had been damaged beyond their capability to heal, but until then he would be well enough to escape.

Jayden was not so fortunate. She found him and pressed the clotting cloth to the wound in his shoulder. The wound seemed stubborn for a moment. According to the directions it said that if a persons wound did not stop bleeding in under a few heart beats then the likelihood was that they had a nicked or fully punctured artery. He would have bled dry and fallen forever had he not been found when he did.

Gently Luna kissed the forehead of her unconscious friend. He was sent back up along with a reluctant Raw. She chastised him in a low hissing voice and told him to see to Jayden. He lowered his eyes first, the staring contest of two predators a losing game for him every time. He knew she was fiercer then he was. After the heat returned came the fire. Anger was the fire and the fire was anger. She was angry that these creatures had harmed her friend and nearly killed that other one. Jayden and Raw were her own. She had claimed them even if she had never told them about it. No one harmed what was hers and did not pay for it.

Seeing the others in this team hunt inpressed her. Awe came awake along with curiosity and hope. She had wished for a way to open to her whenever the medication wore off enough for her to think about anything but her next meal or cycle of medications and questionings. That had impressed Uncle, Doctor, Sir. That she 'wanted a life with goals and achievement of those goals.' Was how he had interpreted. Luna often saw herself as stymied, and felt frustration when her feelings were not tied and ditched by those pills.

After all her feelings awakened she remembered the last time they had given her this little green pill. It was before Uncle Doctor Sir had discovered that they were 'Working' on her. Flashes of what they had pushed her to do, some of the aliens she had fought and killed, even the one she had refused to harm no matter how much they shocked her or him. She wondered what had happened to that alien. He'd been pretty to look at and she could clearly tell that despite his obviously superior stats in physical abilities and body structure, he was not inclined towards the violence that his body would have made him excellent at. Instead he was religiously passive and refuted all attempts to make him harm anyone.

Now the memories would not recede. Those men in the white lab coats and the one in a dark black version of their lab wear had given her a memory blocker. Now its effects had been removed by reapplication of the soldier pill. Now she knew what else Uncle Doctor Sir had wanted. He'd wanted her to achieve a victory here or die in a way that did not embarrass 'the family' like her life at the moment did.

She remembered what had happened when she had been sent to Uncle Doctor Sir's office for doing well to receive a reward. He often gave her small treats and gifts for making an effort to behave and make progress. He'd not given her one that day, instead he'd done something so awful she had no desire to ever remember it again or see it repeated. Yet she had to tell Hunt Leader, Elder, Commander, Zen.

"He hit me. It is forbidden to strike patients who do not require physical sub-dual. He hit me because my obviously similar features made any way he tried to deny our sharing family lines to the woman he wanted impossible and he was caught out trying to lie to her. She abhors a liar. Hates those who try to deceive her. He was dropped very fast was Uncle Doctor Sir. So he's trying to get me killed or prove I am worthwhile. One or the other will get him female companionship. If his kin dies he can 'Mourn' and be comforted. If I am victorious he is seen as more desired because his children would be strong. It's the truth, though everyone would try to lie and say other reasons are behind it."

Zen looked at the child as she spoke of this thing so very awful that she had allowed the medicines to take the memory of it from her. Humans very rarely disciplined their young physically. They considered mental chastisement superior to using brute force to properly instill morality and propriety in their offspring. And also those who were not right in their minds were supposed to be treated especially gently. This was not acceptable by their own rules or under any honor code he knew of.

"You are more like us then you are like unto your own kindred. I will seek to take you with us when we leave. I make no promises though."

*Meanwhile on the first level*

Doctor Comaire had reviewed the files, finally unsealed by the planetary government, on what had been done to his unstable niece. The horror of what she did under their control was overridden by the even greater horror of what she had done to her. That and now he knew that Doctor Weilheim had raped her as well during one of her vulnerable phases when she was incapable of resisting as the drugs and mutagens they pumped through her changed her body.

In a way she had made him very proud though. He viewed the film again of how she had refused to kill the pacifistic alien. If she was not hurt she did not try to hurt those who were not a threat to her. She was very violent and effieicntly murderous towards those who did threaten her however. In this one way she was rather normal. She gave what she received. That alone decided him and the beep of a message sent from his computer terminal brought a grin to his face.

"I fail to see why you are so happy Comaire. Your niece is down there with those savages, those animals and god knows what half crazed freaks that were there in the first place! You should be a little bit more upset!"

"Oh I am somewhat worried Dainzing. However I have no reason to fear that she will come out badly on this one. You would be less over wrought yourself if you watched the films. The only thing they did not pit her against was one of those "Savages," as you so charmingly put it, or one of the serpents that have taken the lower level. Yet she has grown and gained strength and reach since they tested her against so many life forms in their experiments. She'll be fine. As to what made me so happy, well how often do you get to send out a letter to the Aielsheim regarding the rapist who violated your brother's daughter?"

"The Aielsheim! Are you as crazy as she is? How in the hell can you even afford something like that?"

"I didn't realize it till it was almost to late Dainzing, but she is worth her weight in diamonds. This was the best thing I could do for her. Well one of the two best things. When they finish up down there I am going to do the other best thing. I am going to send her and those two friends of hers with the clan when they leave. I don't deserve to have her with me any more after what I did anyway. Especially after how badly I failed to watch over her when my borther and his wife died. And as for the money and were it came from, well Dainzing, my investment strategies are really none of your business."

*Back in the sub levels*

Thunder watched, impressed despite his previous doubts, as the human entered into combat with several hard meat drones. The final one was being stubborn in trying repeatedly to pierce her body with it's tail. At last she grew grouchy about it. Then she grabbed the offending appendage, and refused to release her hold on it. The creature tried to claw her and use it's inner mouth to rupture her brain. Both attacks failed. Then she showed her strength.

The hold on the tail appendage tightened. Then she swung the drone up and into the ceiling, then brought it back down again. This she did several times with increasing force, until Hammer informed the human that her foe was dead.

"Oh goodie. Next!"

Thunder chuckled softly behind his mask but the human heard him. She flashed a hand sign at him that he took to mean that she was in a fine humor and doing well, and also saw how he would view her behavior as a source of humor.

There were far too many drones. Some of the stronger Warrior types had also begun to appear. This upset Thunder. It meant that the queen who had spawned these was aware of them as an actual threat. This was very dangerous, and despite his usually quiet demeanor he wished nothing but for to leave and let the humans nuke this site from orbit as they often did when no clan teams were available to eliminate or remove the hard meats.

The other elders of the Star wished to have a queen though for laying eggs for the trials. The old one had finally died. So they would extract this one with only their small team and one human on hand to assist. It would bring huge honor to those who were present on this hunt, but it also meant the chance of fatality was extremely high.

At last they reached the egg laying chamber. Those warrior drones that the queen had kept near her jumped to assault them, then suddenly stopped!

The human had a hand out in a gesture that seemed to plead and command all at once. He could feel her mental power flower and flow outwards like a very strong Psionic. Obviously the queen felt it as well for she halted and a conversation that they were only half way party to began.

Luna listened to the hard meat queen. This queen knew of what they did with those queens they took. What the Hunter did not know is that the gods of the hard meats chose which queens would be placed in the path of seeking teams. Normally they were expected to fight and struggle against it anyway, and if they killed one team then the fate of a Trial Queen was removed from them. This one however did not wish to fight both them and this "Small Queen." So she would willingly submit to them if they did not slay all her current batch of children.

When Luna told this to Hunt Leader, Elder, Commander, Zen, he seemed to be astonished, but he did not discard the idea out of hand as a human would have. Any human commander would have said "Bullshit' and killed the queen and her children. This one was thinking, and trying his best to decide which way was the path to an honorable conclusion.

Luna knew what she wished to happen, but she forced herself to consider all the horrid options that might proceed from this moment in time. Once her mind had touched the queen they had made peace between them almost instantly. Survival and propagation had been the queen's only goals as always. Unnecessary violence or murder was never a Queen's way though humans and event he hunters she walked with might see it otherwise.

"She and her remaining brood live. I will call out to the Dark Talon Clan and they will take her brood from her but let them live under Queen Fire on her far flung world where none are hunted by us and all live together somewhat peacefully."

"Word of Fire has reached her Hunt Leader, Elder, Commander, Zen. She finds this most acceptable and she says that the eggs should also go to Fire if Fire can find hosts for them they will be Warrior types and Royal keepers, whichever sort of black dragon that a Royal Keeper is."

"A 'Royal Keeper' is a pleasure servant of the Queen. How many has she made little sister? My cousin in the Dark Talon Clan says that Fire is most difficult to keep pleased in that manner! They might rather be hunted then sent thus!"

"Don't joke Clansman, Hunter, Brother, Blooded Warrior, Iron. It is a grace and a mercy to be given a second chance when you believed from birth that you had none to begin with."

Iron could see now what the elder saw in this small human other then strength. Many among her kind and even her clan were not of honor born or later so taught. This one was respectful of the universe and the life in it and of honor she had learned from someplace outside her wretched remaining kinsman. Perhaps the female's Sire and Dam had been else wise?

"I apologize littlest sister of my clan. I was neglectful of your sensitivity in this matter. I also apologize to the Mother of All for any offense."

The huge head descended just a fraction. Apologies accepted by both females Iron calmed. He realized he had been purring the whole time as one did to sooth an outraged Yajuta female. Elder Zen had of course seen this and was amused, Iron could tell by the adjusted stance of the elder and the tilt of his head. The Queen's vibrating hiss echoed through the room and the small female laughed. He may seem foolish but Iron was in the clear. Relief filled him and he stepped back behind his mother's cousin Thorns. Out of sight out of mind was a very true saying among the birth people of the little moon.

"Queen Izcathatil, Daughter of Spring Born Latichicosi officially agrees to cease all hostilities while on this planet and willingly be placed under restraint by the Dark Talon Clan's egg keeper ship's crew in exchanged for all living offspring and eggs being carried to Queen Fire, Heart Born of Mechadaushen's Territory and that they should be accepted by The Honored Queen as members of her Living Hive."

Having spoken the Queen's words to Zen she returned in thought the agreement in honor between Zen, acting as a revered Elder and representative of the Hunter's race.

"I would go and see this done under my own eyes Elder. Else while I fear the Dark Talons will eschew the spirit of the agreement and hold only to the briefest meaning of the words we have exchanged."

~*~

Luna arched her back and stretched in all directions as she sat on the ship's deck plates beside Queen Izcathatil. Her presence allowed the large queen to remain calm, and thus unchained in the belly fo the huge Yautja vessel. They were approaching Queen Fire's cordoned off planet. No law abiding hunter would approach this world with intent to hunt. It was a sanctuary world where humans lived alongside Hard meats and other creatures without interference from the hunters.

Hammer was nearby enough that he could rescue the human female that was now his clan if she required it. However he was not completely without psionic senses and could feel the flow of conversation going back and forth between the huge queen and his newest clan sister. The conversed together as any two companionable females might without any acknowledgment of their differences in species and origin.

He contemplated all that he had seen and huffed slightly, his mandibles twitching in annoyance. How could it be? How had his sire gotten to his age and lived through so many hunts with such an erroneous way of thought in his mind? Yet here it was. A human whom possessed enough personal honor to reject honor added to her reputation that would not be just in the earning or the taking. He had to rethink many things and ponder which things his sire had taught him that might be in error beyond this very obvious thing.

Luna looked up slightly at her ever present guardian. He had growled in his throat in a way that indicated displeasure or at the very least severe discontent. He seemed to be contemplating something that was not her or the Queen so she allowed it to pass. She had learned enough of the language of her new brothers in the past week to speak to Thorns and Iron, who had also joined them on this trip to the sanctuary world. She would ask them later what was wrong with her guardian.

_He is changing his way of thinking from what he was taught as a suckling to what he now sees to be the truth of reality itself._

_Oh?_

_Yes. Once he was taught that all humans are honor-less savages with no concept of right or wrong. So now it is that we both have learned the error of such thinking and have much to contemplate as we spend our days journeying to Queen Fire's Hive._

Luna sighed and settled in against the side of the huge Xenomorph Queen. She had not thought that her coming might cause more then the usual amount of trouble, but what did she know of it? Perhaps there were a great many in the star clan that held the beliefs that Hammer had once held?

_What should I do wise mother? I know not how I should handle this, but it concerned me that many in my new clan might think as Hammer once did._

The Queen sat in quiet contemplation while nearly half an hour passed. Finally she offered up the only answer she could think of.

_Child, I would say that the likelihood of many thinking as Hunter Hammer once did is not great. Yet some will believe so. All you can do is behave in the fashion you have behaved thus far and continue to show your merits to all. If they are too ignorant to see your value after that then they are to ignorant to bother with._

_{_A/N: Thanks for continuing to read. *Hands out hugs to all her reviewers* See you for the next chapter sometime this week. Now go read and review my new Transformers movie fic! All The right Moves. Go quick like!}_  
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	3. Chapter 3

{5642 before Authors Note because this one is mega detailed and pretty worked up with little glimpses of stuff that will be important later. That and I worked on it a lot while I was net less. No internet amusement means lots of time to write. have fun with Luna and Say Hello to Mountain, Dark Knives, Hard Edge And Dawn's Fire. I love my readers. Update also is available for my story All the Right Moves.}

The place they landed was a grassy place. It had been raining lately, Luna could scent it on the wind. That meant it had rained here, was raining someplace near enough for the wind to carry it to her, and was also going to rain again here soon by the smell of things. Hammer and Thorns were off to her left, Iron was to her right with Hunt Leader,Wise Elder, Zen. She carried a huge box with four Xenomorph eggs in it. These were the eggs of the queen that made pleasure servants for the Xenomorph Queens.

Luna smelled Xenomorph and it was not coming from those living children of Izcathatil.

"They are coming Hunt Leader, Revered Elder, Zen."

"Can you determine how many?"

"More then ten less then a hundred. The Smell is really strong though."

"Fair enough. Fire is honorable. Since we do not hunt on this world she will not assault us out of hand."

"Good of you to remember it Zen. Has _AHH!_"

The black garbed female with the shock of brightest orangish red hair on the top of her head jumped onto Thorns and held herself close to him. Luna could smell competing musky scents from the two of them. It was not intended as an attack nor did Hunter, Clan Brother, Warrior, Thorns see it as such. That meant it was all right then.

"I was told that I sired a suckling on you Fire. Did it survive?"

"VIOLET! COME MEET YOUR FATHER!"

A Xenomorph with a pattern much like the pattern on the hide of Hunter, Clan Brother, Warrior, Thorns and a bright mane of hair just like Honored Queen, Bold Fighter, Fire's hair in color who was only about the size of a small pony came running at her Queen's call. The smaller Xeno also had six arching horns on her skull, a pair to each side that came from behind her jaws and arched back towards her shoulders. The main horns were a pair that came from between where here eyes would be if she had any, which she didn't, and arched back in the center of her skull and went all the way over her back.

Hunter, Clan Brother, Warrior, Thorns was nearly nine feet tall. He had to crouch a little bit to greet the over eager creature that was his offspring with the Honored Queen, Bold Fighter, Fire. He embraced this child as if it was nothing strange to have a half Xenomorph child with a queen of such who had once been a completely human woman.

"I thank you for carrying the eggs of Izcathatil. My nest helpers will take them now."  
Luna set the box down and opened it for the four waiting Xenomorphs.

_Queen. They are as you were informed._

"Our hunter comrades here have no reason to lie to me and well know the cost should they try anything that stupid Delta my lovely. The other eggs are being carried by the new members of the hive. After I greet them and learn their names I will send them along to the Egg chambers with their burdens. Please tell Epsilon and Iota to be ready with hosts at once so the poor little ones can hatch out and get to their hosts before nightfall."

_As the Queen orders._

Luna watched the strange Xenomorph go along with the one who was called Delta to help carry these new eggs. Apparently the way it would be with an ordinary queen was vastly different then it was in this hive. No queen would spawn fertile daughters and not send them off right away to make a new hive. Then again, Honored Queen, Bold Fighter, Fire had one time been a ordinary, unbroken, human type person. If that was the baby she had had after mating with Hunter, Clan Brother, Warrior, Thorns, then maybe she would take a while to grow up just the same as human and hunter babies did?

Hunter, Clan Brother, Warrior, Thorns had obviously decided to stay behind for a time with Honored Queen, Bold Fighter, Fire. Luna knew it was not her time to stay with the honored queen and her consort of the moment though she thought that perhaps if she asked the once human queen would let her stay anyway.

_Some other time Luna. We will talk then. I am certain that you will be returning someday sooner or later._

Luna was on the ship again. Her mark itched and she absent mindedly scratched at it. The last few flakes of blood scabs from it fell off. Their clinging to her had been what was causing the itchy urges she supposed. It had hurt but not a lot. For someone used to being pitted against any and all whom her experimenters threw her at to test both her combat and healing abilities the small acid burn was no severe hurt, and it had scarred slightly raised and perfect within days. but Luna had been taught that to repeatedly pick at scabs was crazy, not well, broken person, behavior. Luna tried through self control to contain some of the habits that fell into that category.

Hunter, Clan Brother, Quiet One, Iron was with her today and teaching her more of the Yautja language. She was not bored by it in the least. The language was of clicks growls and whistles and he had a text of adaptations to human limitations that he was referring to frequently. Luna could make most of the clicks by pressure against her teeth with her tongue and a sufficient amount of spit in her mouth but she practiced the other ways to do so just in case she was ever dehydrated enough not to be able to work up a good amount of spit.

Training came next. Talent she had in hand to hand combat and some things she knew how to do from training vids she had been forced to watch by her experimenters. These she promptly pushed to the back of her mind when Hunt Leader, Revered Elder, Zen started instructing her in advanced Yautja combat techniques. There were so many things to learn that her brain felt stuffed by the end of the day. Yautja also kept longer days then humans, Nearly thirty six hours of time passed in each of their days.

The food was a wonder to Luna. They had meat that was nearly raw and some that was, vegetables of all sorts which she would not have thought that they partook of being such a hunters culture, and fruits or some things that were sweet like fruits. There were also many large pitchers of drinks of all kinds. Upon the advice that Zen gave her Luna avoided the heavy intoxicant drink favored by the Yautja. She felt that she would not like it anyway as it obviously tasted horrid just from the smell.

Learning and training proceeded until they reached a great world held by the Yautja people and their clans only. The only other humans that Luna was likely to see on this world were others who had been adopted into the clan or other visiting clans. The large continent was almost entirely populated by villages and home steadings of the star clan. She asked Hunt Leader, Revered Elder, Zen where she was supposed to live.

"It has not been decided. Normally a female of your age would yet be with her mother at home among the females being raised as such."

"Don't the girls hunt too?"

"Some do youngling, some do. However most of them do not see a point to it as it is not much of a challenge for them."

"All of you seem like you are afraid,worried,hopeful all at the same time when the topic of your ladies is brought up."

"They out mass us by at least three hundred of your pounds so almost three Luna's and are at least a head and shoulders taller then we are if not more. They are frightening creatures if angered or shown any disrespect. However the lady Hard Edge is the one we shall consult regarding you. You are a hunter and thus under my tutelage, yet you are a young female and thus under her directives. It will be a delicate dance to sort everything out to both our satisfaction."

"What Luna might want makes no never-mind then? No one cares that I have been locked away for so long that to be separated from people and stuck with meanies again will make me dead inside? Please don't be mad at me for hating inside!"

"Your past treatment was in no way an adequate way to treat even a completely mad suckling, let alone a slightly cracked one as you once were Luna. We will not restrain you as humans do even if it is harmful to you to do the thing you might have been restrained from doing by your fellow humans. We let each being live their life and follow the path in their own time."

"It scares me. That I have to make my own way by myself Revered Elder Zen."

"You will not be entirely alone Luna. I would not let a half trained pup out of my sight and I will keep an eye on yourself as well during this time. I think that within a year or three you will be well adjusted and a committed member of this clan instead of a facility committed human."

" Perhaps I can help Elder?"

"Ah Mountain. Indeed you might just be the warrior I need for this task."

Warrior, Hunter, Fierce Fighter, Mountain was about three birthing generations older then Thorns And Iron. He was named Mountain for a reason as he towered over every other Yautja she had seen besides Hunter, Revered Elder, Zen. His reason for not being on the team that cleaned up Xenomorphs was obvious when he turned to face them. His eye was gone! The wicked scar that bisected the left half of his face was obviously nearly a life threatening injury at one time. He had come back alive anyways.

"That must make you popular with the ladies, Warrior, Hunter,Fierce Fighter, Mountain."

"On occasion pup, on occasion."

"Where have you been keeping yourself lately Mountain? Where ever it is I do not think that it will be suitable for this one."

"I am in the process of moving my things into the vacant building in the district of traders that my cousin left to me upon his death. It will be suitable after it is cleaned Elder."

"I'll help clean Warrior, Hunter,Fierce Fighter, Mountain. You can count on Luna!"

"If I can count on Luna to keep it to one title per person that would be better then just the cleaning alone."

"Yes Hunter, Mountain."

"Easier that way."

The place that Mountain's Cousin had left him was filthy beyond anything in Luna's limited experience. She had not been around the universe like the elder perhaps had been, but she had not seen this before at all. She had cleaned the floor of the front area by the time Mountain had returned with some bedding and his belongings from the place he had been keeping residence in prior to now.

"Near this city is a jungle area where one can hunt for food prey. We will need to go out there soon and get a few creatures to eat until we can trade for other food."

"What will we have to trade for stuff to tan hides?"

"Tanning equipment is fairly easy to obtain here in the trading sector of the city. I will perhaps make arrangements for something they will wish to obtain later."

"Humans call that giving you a 'credit' Hunter Mountain."

Hunter, Mountain, taught her the Yautja phrase for the same concept and they discussed variances of the idea while they walked towards the edge of town to the North of the trading section of the city. They did not make it five feet outside their own door, or so Luna would have sworn, before they ran into the trouble she had been expecting since they left Queen Fire's world.

"Male what are you doing with a small female of the clan?"

"Lady Hard Edge. I was intrusted with the female for the purposes of acquainting her with our culture before she goes on her next hunt. Elder Zen was who intrusted me with this task."

"Do you have anything to say for yourself human?"

"With all due respect Wise Lady, Great and honored by Paya, Should you ask, order, or demand I will not be separated from those I trust to go with those who are cruel and wrong in their heads worse then me. Mountain will keep me safe until I know where I am going and who is not mean crazy dangerous. Now my belly is being sad so I must make up to it with meat before I get sick. Please excuse us."

Luna bowed deeply and grabbed the arm of the stunned Mountain and dragged him away while walking backwards. That she could move him at all while he was limp and utterly submissive still registered in some part of his mind that was not out and out terrified of the lady and her fierce guardian females. Luna had judged rightly about that lot. They were wicked dangerous and crazy fierce, more so then any other females in the whole of the clan. Paya was merciful that none of them had ever called upon him to breed sucklings on them. He would not wish a female like that on the most horrid of bad bloods as their mother.

She dragged faster as they approached the gate. They stopped when they had reached it and logged their names as going into the food Jungles. It was a relief and finally the fear in him was calming.

"MOUNTAIN! Old friend what has you so shaken? Surely this little female is not that horrifying?"

"Dark Knives! No She is not though the fierce little one did stand up to Hard Edge just now. That one and her minions are enough fear for any male for a whole year."

"At least. Greetings small female."

Dark Knives was about two feet shorter then Mountain and that put him at about a foot taller then Luna. Among humans she had perhaps been considered tall. In the clan she would always be the smallest. He purred at her and gestured that she come forward to greet Dark Knives. Luna went forward and nodded to his old friend.

"Headed out to get some food?"

"Yes. The little one is also fairly hungry and has not been fed up to standards for a long long while. It is best we get started."

"I'll join your party, if only to honor the lady by carrying back the heap of things she will slay to feed her hungry belly."

"It would be appreciated Hunter, Dark Knives."

"The little one has some mental quirks. Tagging on a title or four is one of them. I have asked her to stick to just one if she needs to use any at all. For the sake of expediency at the very least."

"She seems to have listened."

"Whether Luna listens or doesn't is not at issue. Its whether Luna does what she is told that matters. Luna always listens. Luna does not always obey."

Dark Knives backed away from the scowling female and bowed, purring all the while.

"Does that noise save you sometimes? When the crazy women are mad at you for no good reason?"

"Yes, normally."

"Will not always work with me. Don't count on it. Say sorry first if you feel you did something bad. Then purr if I don't believe you mean it."

Dark Knives laughed, his black enameled mandibles thrown wide in amusement. He was not used to women being so clear in their expectations. Luna was always clear in what she wanted. Sometimes what she said came out crooked or crazy speak if she could not think of the nice sane way to say it fast enough. But she always said stuff out loud. _"__Other__ people __can__'__t __read __your __mind__ Luna.__Tell __them__ what __you __are __thinking __and __don__'__t __make __them__ guess __too __much, __or __too __often,__it__'__s __rude.__"_ Uncle, Sir, Doctor, James had always said. She did not want to be rude to her new teacher, housemate. She didn't want to treat his friends badly either. She wanted at least a few people to like her and be her friends so she would not be lonely all the time.

The creature had no body hair at all but it's muscles were thick under its sturdy hide. The hide was covered with pebbly bumps rather then scales or hair or feathers. Once Mountain had killed the animal he showed each and every part of its anatomy to Luna and lectured on the rules of food hunting. Enhanced hunting with detectors and mask settings and other things were not allowed unless feeding pups not old enough to hunt food for themselves or if a female was pregnant.

"Play fair unless survival is paramount?"

"Yes."

"Not really fair to the critters anyways Hunter, Mountain. How many we need to stock the larder?"

"Another six will do for today and tomorrow."

"Is there Fish on this world too Hunter, Mountain?"

"I would suppose so Luna. Until the death of my Mother's Brother's Son I did not visit here often so I have not explored this planet fully."

"Once the warehouse is clean can we go look for good fishing places Hunter Mountain? Please can we do so?"

"If the elders do not require things of us we may do pretty much as we please and see to ourselves mostly Luna."

"That makes me happy more then it worries me. Now for six more!"

Luna slumped over her bowl of freshly seasoned and nicely cooked meat. Her two companions had eaten their meat as soon as it was butchered properly. Luna liked butchery and thought she might someday be good at the skill, but she knew she had a lot to learn about it first. Mountain had sworn to show her more later. She had explained when they saw her cooking the meat that she had to cook all animal bits unless she was really sure they did not have harmful bacteria. Otherwise it would harm her digestion.

"In a pinch Luna can eat raw meat. Luna's friend Raw did it all the time and that is why he was called that. Still I would rather have nice salt and garlic and black peppercorns ground up into nice flakes on my meat, and maybe brown sugar and hot pepper flakes sometimes. Then grill it brown and you can eat it and it tastes good."

"Mountain will surely teach you how to butcher properly and clean your kill trophies but I wish to learn this cooking process from you myself."

"Can do that later Dark Knives. Need seasonings more then we have and pans and bowls and ingredients besides animal matter. Then you can make good things that have nothing to do with meat. I might even make you guys chocolate cupcakes. I used to make those very well back when I was small. My mother taught me how and they are very flavorful and good. However Luna needs her rest now. Where am I supposed to sleep Hunter, Mountain?"

"Up on the second floor are several rooms. My room has my things in it all ready. Place yours where you wish to claim a space."

"Luna has what is on her back until Uncle James sends her things from where they were in storage. Can Luna borrow a blanket from Hunter, Mountain?"

The blanket was obviously one that Hunter, Mountain used often. She was wrapped in warmth and a sweet musky scent that she knew came from Hunter, Mountain. It was comforting in a way she had not expected it to be. The reeling of her senses that she had been suffering from since getting on the ship with the eggs of the Xenomorph Queen was gone and Luna felt like she might be able to sleep for more then a few hours this time. She was deep into restful sleep before she could think about much else at all.

When Luna awoke the world was dark and their were no lights lit anyplace that she could see. That made sense. Hunter Iron had told her that hunters normally see in infrared spectrum. Such individuals would not need night lights to navigate darkened streets or shadowy corridors. The walls and floors would be a different temperature then the airy spaces of doorways and the halls behind them. That would distinguish things well enough for them to not fall or hurt themselves if they got thirsty or had to get rid of fluids in the middle of the night.

Luna was not so lucky. She remembered though, with her nearly photographic memory, the number of steps between her door and the door of the 'necessary facilities.' She made it there and back without hurting herself and coiled up in her borrowed blanket again. From the feeling of the world around her planetary dawn was another three or four standard hours away. Luna was going to sleep till then and face the new day and whatever troubles it brought with a refreshed mind and body.

Blood was covering Luna and she sighed. It was not her blood or the blood of any person type being. That made it somewhat all right. She was going to have to make the hides she would soon be able to tan into clothes because her latest message from Uncle Doctor Sir James was that of course none of her old things would fit her and that as her Uncle he was going to gather up some fitting garments before he sent the rest of her things along.

"Luna will need to figure out how to sew hides into clothes. Luna skipped handicrafts."

Hunter, Dark Knives came around the corner carrying parcels wrapped in gray paper and tied with Yautja made twine of a darker gray shade. This was how merchants here on Luna's new home-world wrapped things a person had bought or traded for. Hunter, Dark Knives, had also taken up residence within Hunter, Mountain's building. When Luna found out that the only home hunter Dark Knives had was a small berth on a hunter Vessel currently in dry dock up in orbit for repairs she had asked politely and Hunter, Mountain had welcomed his friend under the same roof as Luna and Mountain.

"Little Lady Luna! Good I have some things in this stack for you but they are towards the bottom. Come help me put away things, and I will present you with your gifts!"

Luna did not normally receive gifts other then her birthday and holiday cards from Doctor, Uncle, Sir, James. The idea that someone wanted to give her a present who had no reason to do so other then their own wishes was exciting to her. Under ordinary circumstances it was expected for any gifts given by a Yautja male to a female that did not please her to be refused or even destroyed. Usually though that was because a male was seeking a female person's favors with their gifts. Luna had not tried to be polite when she expressed her feelings about that topic.

"I will kill any male who tries it before I feel settled enough to consider it."

However she had told them that friends often exchanged presents, favors, and helping out in human culture, and that if they were going to live in the same house as her she would like them to be her friends. They had tilted their heads to the side and stared at her for a minute before they began to trill at Luna in stereo. Luna liked the sound they made when they made the trills. Their trill-purrs were a soothing vibration on nerves that had known very little soothing and Luna considered this instance of purring to mean they would accept being her friends.

Dark knives had gone and gotten her a sensible gift. The sturdy fabric wrapped around her barely there breasts and the other piece was a skirt. The design meant that despite not being a lower garment with legs it covered her bits without getting in the way of hunting. The fabric was soft yet thick and durable. She adored it. Now Luna was able to wash her garments from before which had gotten ridiculously stinky and stiff in spots from blood of native to her new home world animals.

"The gift pleases you?"

"Useful gifts often make me happy. This one is good yes. I can at least wash my old clothes now."

"You could not before?"

"Not a thing to wear while washing them. Would have jumped in a river, but Luna could not find one nearby."

"There are several. I will create a map for you. You also expressed a wish to find fishing locations. I believe that Mountain will take you out to do so today. Afterwords you can mark them on the map."

The device that Dark Knives gave Luna was not one she right away recognized as a map. It was a small armlet of technological looking jewelry at first glance. He showed her all the buttons and which sequences to push them in to get various maps that were stored in the device. He also showed her the quick sequence that would mark a spot where she was for later navigation to that spot, and how to recall marked spots.

Luna was off and running before too long with very little thought to anything other then new hunting and perhaps fishing spots. The spots she found she promptly marked and made notes about as she went along. Before too long the fifteen hour daylight time of this planet they lived on was almost gone, and Dark Knives had given her her outfit and map armlet at dawn of the planetary day. She had followed the regulations for any prey she came across and had dragged back several butchered things. Her skill at carving up the meat with her small set of hunters skinning and gutting and carving gear was improving, or so she thought.

Upon re-entering town proper Luna found herself confronted with an unfamiliar priestess of Paya. This Priestess, though fully as large, did not radiate craziness and threat as the tough lady Hard Edge did. This lady was also gravid if the scent and swelling of her abdomen were anything to indicate it was so.

"Little one I require you to assist me in catching enough food for this wicked hungry little suckling of mine."

"Yes Ma'am. What does the suckling want to eat today? Perhaps Luna has it already as Luna has caught some things and killed some others."

"Caught and killed are not the same thing?"

"Catching a fish is killing it unless you let it go right away so I suppose it might be but land things I kill outright and this one is very large indeed for its kind."

The fish were just as large as the land thing she had slain and fish have the advantage of being one solid hunk of meat where their land dwelling kin have many more bones to carve the meat from. Luna could butcher fish much better then meat. The little bones were easy to get out with the flat of a blade and the heads could keep what meat they had for fish head soup, though Luna had put them in a different sack.

Luna let go the idea of fish head soup not long after for when she showed the lady these things the lady wanted to just go ahead and eat the heads. She also butchered the other two creatures and the large one and took half the meat from each. Satisfied that she would have enough to eat until morning, Lady Dawn's Fire left Luna with a hiccup and a thankful flick of mandibles. Very nice and not rude was wise, motherly, lady Dawn's Fire.

When Luna relayed her encounter to Dark Knives and Mountain she was amused to see the first signs that these friends of hers had ever shown of jealousy. Many males wanted to father sucklings on Dawn's Fire. The latest had been none other then Wise Elder, Hunt Leader, Zen!

"Lucky Dawn's Fire. Wise Elder Zen will make pretty, tough, smart, great all over babies."

"Now who's Jealous Luna?"

They were laughing at her just as she had been laughing at them earlier and Luna was in no way annoyed by it. She just laughed along. It was funny for a scrawny human clan member to have what amounted to her first crush on such a wise elder. Less chance then a snow ball in hell of getting such a wondrous male to come father her own sucklings some day too.

"Tomorrow I told her I would bring some males and we would all three help her feed the hungry suckling. I hope you two are not busy..."

Of course they were not, and if they had been they immediately canceled anything they had going she was sure. Luna grinned as she turned to her stove and began cooking the meat she had left. She showed Dark Knives how to prepare foods to different levels of done. She explained as she went that usually rare medium and well and the mediums between rare and medium and medium and well were a mater of taste preference but that in times when creatures appeared sickly or diseases were known there was a safe level of done that assured all microscopic dangers died well before encountering ones tummy.

"In that case one makes sure meat is well done. Most creatures that affect people in food that is meat based make one sick gut wise _and_ attack ones nerves. Most unpleasant and something Luna wishes to skip out on for always."

"I would imagine so Lady Luna. Thank you for sharing your cooking wisdom with me again."

"Dark Knives is welcome. Dark Knives is going on a really big hunt soon?"

"Yes lady. I am going to hunt the Grontar. Its very dangerous and very large and very savage a creature and it is nearly as smart as a human. It looks like a big worm. Unlike the worms of earth though, it is furred."

"What part does one take from the Grontar for a trophy most often?"

"The hunter who slays it normally takes its fangs. They are as long as my whole arm and there are four of them as well as many other sharp teeth in its head."

"Take fur also and all teeth and a neck chain worth of sinew. Luna will make Dark Knives a tooth neck chain in exchange for a hide with fur on to tan into a nice rug for Luna's room."

"Fair enough Little Lady Luna. I will bring you back a tanned hide with the fur on for this work you will do for me."

Luna had been prepared to do the tanning work on the hide herself as well and was glad she was friends with someone so generous. That ended her ability to stay awake, so Luna swallowed the last bites of her meal and put her dishes in the cleaner machine. It was a long hard day and even with a bit of help tomorrow was going to be longer still.


End file.
